Raiders trim roster to 53

ALAMEDA -- There were no major surprises as the Raiders trimmed 22 players from the roster Saturday to reach the 53-man limit.

The only minor drama was the release of wide receiver Greg Little, a former second-round draft pick of the Cleveland Browns who was picked up on a waiver claim and was a standout in the early days of training camp in Napa.

Little, however, had trouble holding on to the ball and was outperformed in recent weeks by holdovers Denarius Moore and Brice Butler.

The roster could have additional changes in the coming days leading up to the season opener Sept. 7 against the New York Jets as general manager Reggie McKenzie considers players waived by other teams.

Neither McKenzie nor coach Dennis Allen was available for comment.

The only players released who had consistent playing time for the Raiders last season were safety Brandian Ross, a 15-game starter at strong safety after Tyvon Branch was injured, and running back Jeremy Stewart, whose role was primarily as a special-teams player.